Indian-Spiced Veggie Burgers with Curry Avocado Yogurt Sauce

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mash chickpeas with a fork. Add lentils and gently mash until broken up.

2. In a fine mesh strainer, place grated onion and press out as much of the liquid as possible (there should be about 1/4 cup grated onion after the liquid is pressed out). Add this to chickpea and lentil mixture.

3. In the same way, drain the roasted red peppers and add to the mixture.

4. Add tahini, garlic, garam masala, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Stir until well mixed.

5. Stir in egg and oat flour until fully combined.

6. Stir in parsley until evenly dispersed.

7. Let the burger “dough” rest on the counter for 15 minutes.

8. While the "dough" rests, prepare the sauce. In a high-speed blender or food processor, combine avocado, yogurt, garlic, honey, curry powder, cayenne, and remaining cumin, turmeric, smoked paprika and salt and pepper. Blend until fully combined, then store in the fridge until ready to serve.

9. Heat a large pan or skillet coated with oil over medium to medium-low heat.

10. Once fully pre-heated, shape your burgers into 4 to 5 patties by forming a ball and then pressing gently to form a patty. Burgers should be about 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick. Be sure to pack the sides in as well.

11. Gently place each patty in the hot pan and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes, until deep golden brown. (If your burgers are cooking too fast, lower the heat. If you don’t hear a sizzle when you place them in the pan, your pan is not hot enough.)

12. Gently flip each patty and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, until deep golden brown.

13. Serve with sauce and, if desired, raw or caramelized onion, tomato and lettuce.

Store burgers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let them fully cool before storing. Be sure your onions and peppers are well drained, or your burgers will not hold together well and will have a soft texture.

To make the burgers vegan, remove the egg and only use 1/3 cup oat flour. Take care when flipping the patties as they will be slightly more fragile. Try using a microplane zester to grate the garlic. f your tahini is thick rather than drippy, reduce the oat flour to 1/3 cup.